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4 SheetsSheet 1 G. R. MILLER, GAS PRODUCER.

(No Model.)

' No. 595,858, Patented De0.21,1897.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-S'heet4.

0-. R. MILLER. GAS PRODUCER.

.No. 595,858. Patented Dec. 21 1897.

i ll? wrmssses: I INVENTOR,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

COMMODORE R. MILLER, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY

DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE \V. J. MCCLURG GAS CON- STRUCTIONCOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

GAS-PRODUCER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,858, dated December21, 1897. Application filed May 11, 1895. Serial No. 548,941. (Nomodel.)

T0 on whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, COMMODORE R. MILLER, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residi n g at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and usefulImprovements in Gas- Producers, of which improvements the following is aspecification.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements inapparatus for the manufacture of fuel and illuminating gas, and has forits object a construction whereby the gases arising from thedistillation of coal and the decomposition of steam are thoroughlycombined and rendered fixed and whereby such gases when poor inilluminating properties can be enriched to any desired degree.

In general terms the invention consists in the construction andcombination substantially as hereinafter more fully described andparticularly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a view .in side elevation of my improved apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same, the plane of section beingindicated by the line II II, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar view, the planeof section being indicated by the line III III,

Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view, the plane of section beingindicated by the line IV IV, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a top plan View of theapparatus. Fig. 6 is a sectional plan, the plane of section beingindicated by the line VI VI, Fig. 1; and Fig. 7 is a sectional detailView illustrating a modification in the manner of connecting thegenerating and carbureting chambers.

In the practice of my invention the fuelchambers 1 and 1 are chargedwith fuel, preferably coke, and when these charges have been brought toa state of incandescence by the admission of an air-blast through thepipes 2 and 2", which are provided with regulating-valves 3 3, asuitable quantity of coal is charged into one of the chambers, as 1*,through a feed-hopper 4 and the valves 3 3 closed. Steam is now forcedinto the chamber 1 through the pipe 5, entering the chamber above thenormal level of the fuel. The steam passes down through the incandescentfuel in said chamber into the closed ash-pit 6, thence through theopening 7 in the partition between the ash-pits 6 6 into the latter, andthence up through the incandescent fuel and'distilling coal in thefuel-chamber 1. The steam in passing down through the incandescent fuelin chamber 1 is decomposed, and hydrogen and carbon monoxid gases areformed. These gases are further heated in passing up through theincandescent fuel in chamber 1 and assist, materially, in thedistillation of the coal in said chamber. The gases produced by thedecomposition of the steam and the distillation of the coal areth0roughly commingled in the chamber 1 and escape therefrom through thepipe 8 to tank 9 and thence through the pipe 10 to the scrubbers orholders. The pipes 8 and 8 project down nearly to the bottom of thetanks 9 and 9, in which suflicient water is maintained to form aneificient water seal. The tanks 9 9 are connected by branches to thepipe 10, as shown in Fig. 1. As soon as the charge in the chamber 1 isreduced in temperature to such a degree as to render it incapable ofdecomposing the steam the valve in the pipe 5 and the valve 11,controlling the opening in the partition between the ash-pits, areclosed. As the charge in the chamber 1 was not chilled, but furtherheated by the passage of the hot gases from chamber 1, the heat thereofcan be utilized for the decomposition of an additional quantity ofsteam, which is admitted into the ash-pit 6 through the pipe 12. Afterthe steam has been cut off from the chamber 1 and the valve 11 closedthe valve 3 is opened to blast up the charge in the chamber 1, and assoon as the charge in chamber 1 has been cooled down by the passage ofsteam,by which time the coal charged thereinto at'the beginning of theoperation will have been coked, the valve in steam-pipe 12 is closed andthe valve 3 in the blast-pipe '2 is opened to blast up the charge inchamber 1. During the blowing up of the charge in the chambers 1 and 1the valves 13 and 13 in pipes 8 and 8 are closed and the valves 14 and14 in the vertical pipes 15 and 15 are opened, so as to permit of theescape of gases produced in the blowing of the charges. As soon as thecharges in the fuel chambers have been brought to the desired state ofincandescence the valves 3 3 and 14: 11 are closed and a suitable supplyof coal is charged into the chamber 1. Steam is nextadmitted into thechamber 1" through the pipe 5 and the valves 11 and 13 are opened. Thesteam is now decomposed in chamber 1 and the resulting gases pass upthrough chamber 1, where they commingle with the gases distilled fromthe coal therein, the combined gases escaping through the pipe 8 andtank 9 to the pipe 10,

as hereinbefore described. lVhen it is desired to enrich the gasesgenerated in the manner described, the valves 13 and 13 are closed andvalves 16 16 in branches 17 and 17, conmeeting the pipes 8 and 8 withcarburetingchambers 18 and 18, are opened. These carbureting-chambersare preferably built on top of the fuel-chambers, from which they areseparated by an arch 19, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The chambers areconnected at their lower ends by a passage 20, and each of the chambersis provided with a series of inclined overlapping baffle-plates 21.These bathe-plates are centrally supported by a wall 22, built on arches23 at the lower ends of the chambers. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, thesupporting-wall does not extend above the upper baffle-plate, andopenings 24: are formed under the arches 23, thereby permitting of freecommunication between the two compartments of each chamber.

In describing the operation of the carbureting apparatus it will beconsidered that the gas is being generated in chamber 1. The valves 1313 and 14 14 in the pipes 8 and discharge-pipe are closed and the valve16 in branch pipe 17 is opened, thereby permitting the gases to flowinto and up through carburetiug-chamber 18. At the same time oil isforced through the pipe 25 into the upper end of chamber 18 by means offluidpressure connected to the injector by a pipe 26. The oil ispartially vaporized by the steam and partially by the highly-heatedbaffle-plates 21. The oil and gases flow down along the bathe-plates ofchamber 18 and through the passage 20 into the lower end of chamber 18,where they meet and commingle with the gases from the fuel-chamber 1.The commingled gases flow up between and along the highly-heatedbafiie-plates 21 in chamber 18, whereby they are more thoroughly mixedand rendered stable. From the upper end of the chamber 18 the gases flowthrough the pipe 27 through the water seal in tank 9 into pipe 10.

hen the gas to be carbureted is generated in chamber 1, the valves 13,13 14:, 14:, and 16 are closed and valve 16 is opened, so as to causethe gas to fiow into chamber 18. Oil

is introduced in the manner described into the upper end of chamber 18,and the gases produced from the oil flow from said chamber throughpassage 20 into chamber 18 and from the upper end of said chamberthrough pipe 27, water seal in tank 9, and to pipe 10, which, as beforestated, conducts the gas to the scrubbers, holder, or distributing-main.

hen it is desired to heat the carburetingchambers and theirbaffle-plates, (usually effected during the blowing-up operation,) thevalves 13 13 and 14 1 1 are closed, and the valves 16 16 and 28 28 atthe upper ends of the carbureting-chambers 18 18 are opened, thuscausing the products of combustion from the generating-chambers to flowup through the carbureting-chambers. In order to insure the combustionof the gases produced in the generating-chambers during the blowing-upoperation, air-blasts are introduced into the carburetingchambersthrough pipes 29 29 and 30 30. The pipes 29 29 are arranged so as tomeet the gases as they enter the carbureting-chambers, and the pipes 3030 are 1ocated so as to supply additional quantities of air to the gaseswhile passing through the carburetingchambers. A thorough combustion ofthe gases is thus provided for and at such points as to utilize the heatgenerated by such combustion in heating the carbureting-chambers.

In lieu of conducting the gases from the generating to the carburetingchambers by pipes 8 and 17, as hereinbefore stated, openings 31 may beformed through the arch 19, thereby directly connecting eachgeneratingchamber with the carb u reting-chamber above it, as shown inFig. 7. The passage of gases from the generating-chambers is controlledby valves 32, arranged in the openings 31.

As shown in Figs. 1, 5, and G, thewaterseal tanks 0 9 are provided withvalved pipes 33 33 for filling the tanks and with valved outlet-pipes 31 31 for drawing the water from the tanks. A water-gage 35 35 isarranged on the side of each tank to indicate the depth of watertherein. The tanks are also provided with valved outlet-pipes 36 36,which are connected to a reservoir 37 for the reception of tar, &c.,separated from the gas during its passage through the water in thesealingtanks. While it is possible to so arrange the apparatus that bothpipes 8 8 and 2727 will pass into one tank and be sealed by the watertherein, it is preferred to useindependent sealing-tanks, as shown, forthe reason that they can be operated in such manner as to avoid the useof valves in the pipes 27 27- as, for example, if the gas is beingcarbureted in chamber 18 and the gas flowing out through pipe 27 wateris admitted into the tank 9 until it has attained sufficient depth toovercome the pressure of fluid in the carburetingchambers, therebycompelling the gas to pass out through pipe 27 and tank 9, wherein thereis only sufficient water to seal the lower ends of pipes 8 and 27. Thenthe operation of the apparatus is reversed, the tank 9 is filled to aheight sufficient to counterbalance the pressure in the gases in thecarbureting-chambers, and the water in tank 0 is allowed to escape untilthe water therein will seal the IIO of the gas more difficult andexpensive.

ends of pipes 8 and 2'7 without presenting any material resistance tothe flow of gas through pipe 27"-.

It is customary to employ steam for injecting oil into thecarbureting-chambers but its use is objectionable, for the reason thatthe baffle-plates and walls of the chambers are rapidly chilled by thesteam, and, further, as there is not sufficient highly-heated carbonwhere the steam enters to properly decompose the steam and combine withthe oxygen of the steam a large percentage of carbonic-acid gas isformed, which renders the purificatign 11 order to avoid theseobjectionable features, a combustible gas under pressure-such, forexample, as is generated in the practice of the inventionis employed forspraying the oil into the carbureting-chambers. The employment of gasnot only avoids the objectionable features above referred to, but is notattended by any waste, as it passes back to the point from which it wasdrawn.

It is the usual practice in the manufacture of gas to force steam upthrough the bed of incandescent material with the result of chillin gthe lower portion of the charge to a greater extent than the upperportions, and in blowing up the charge the air-blast is also forcedupward. Hence the heat is carried away from the portion of the chargewhich has the lowest temperature, so that there is always a portion ofthe charge, approximately two to three feet, more or less, in thickness,that is practically inoperative, not having sufficient heat to decomposethe steam, and in some cases the temperature of this part of thechargeis so low as to have a chilling effect on the steam. It ischaracteristic of my improvement that the steam is forced down duringone portion of the operation through the incandescent material, so thatthe heat is carried down to the lowest portions of the charge, thehighest portions being chilled to the greatest degree, so that when theair is forced up through the charge the heat will be carried up to andthrough the chilled portions. It results from this method of operationthat much less time is required in blasting up, thereby effecting asaving in fuel, and the whole of the charge is brought to an eifectivetemperature. It is true that during the latter part of each operation orturn the steam is forced up through one of the generating-chambers,thereby chilling the lower portion of the charge therein; but when theoperation of the apparatus is reversed, aft-er blasting up eachgeneratingchamber, steam is forced down through the same chamber,thereby forcing the heat down through the previously-chilled portion andraising it to operative temperature.

It is characteristic of my invention that the gases generated by thedistillation of the fresh fuel pass directly from the generator as soonas formed, so that all the valuable heat and illuminating qualities ofthe gas are preserved. The distillation of the fresh fuel is effected inpart by the underlying bed of incandescent material and the heatradiating from the walls of the generating-chamber, but principally bythe hot gases formed by the passage of the steam through the first bodyof incandescent material and further heated during theirpassage throughthe second body of incandescent material.

I claim herein as my invention 1. A gas-producer having in combinationtwo generators having a valved connection with each other at their lowerends, pipes for injecting steam into the upper and lower ends of thegenerators, blast-pipes for forcing air into the lower ends of thegenerators, two carbureting-chambers connected at their lower ends,valved connections from each generator to one of thecarbureting-chambers, pipes for injecting oil into the upper ends of thecarbureting-chambers, and valved connections from the upper ends of thecarbureting-chambers to the place of use or storage, substantially asset forth.

2. A gas-producer having in combination two generating-chambers having avalved connection with each other at their lower ends,

, pipes for injecting steam into-the upper and lower ends of thegenerators, blast-pipes for forcing air into the lower ends of thegenerating-chambers, valved connections from the upper ends of thegenerating-chambers to the place of use or storage, twocarbureting-chambers connected at their lower ends and each having avalved connection to one of the generating-chambers, pipes for injectingoil into the upper ends of the carbureting-chambers, valved connectionsfrom the upper ends of the carbureting-chambers, to the place of use orstorage, and a valved escape-opening at or near the upper ends of thecarbureting-chambers, substantially as set forth.

3. A gas-producer having in combination a shell having a partition-wall,thereby forming two generating-chambers having independent ash-pits, avalved opening connecting the ash-pits, pipes for injecting steam intothe ash-pits and the upper ends of the generating-chambers, blast-pipesfor injecting air into the ash-pits, and valved connections from theupper ends of the generating-chambers to the place of storage or use,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

COMMODORE R. MILLER.

Witnesses:

F. E. GAITHER, DARWIN S. WoLooTT.

